Got the winter blues?

The staff at the Adel Public Library is here to lift your spirits with activities for all ages.  Starting with pre-schoolers, the following classes will be held in February:

• Pre-School Story Time: Mondays at 10:30 a.m.  (except Feb. 16)
• Toddler Time: Tuesdays at 10:30 a.m. (except Feb. 17) 
• Library Babies Lapsit: Wednesdays, Feb. 11 & 25 at 10:30 a.m. 

Now for school age children!

• Teen Craft Time – Wednesday, Feb. 11 after school
• Early out from school activities:
• Gaming with Wii – Tuesday, Feb. 17 at 1:30 p.m.
• Craft Time – Thursday, Feb. 19 at 2 p.m.
• Movie Time – Wednesday, Feb. 25 at 1:30 p.m.

Now for families!

Get signed up for the “Go Bananas for Books” family reading program at the library.  Sign up on a paper banana and you’ll be set to participate in upcoming activities and read for prizes.  Each family will receive a book bag containing program guidelines and a sheet to keep track of books and pages read.  For every 1,000 pages that a family reads, family members may put a banana on our palm tree located in the library’s front window and children will receive a prize.

Three grand prizes will be given to the families who turn in the most pages read.  Prizes will be awarded at the grand finale on Friday, Feb. 27 at 6:30 p.m. and will be geared toward the entire family.

The next family activity  – “Jungle Time” – will be Tuesday, Feb. 10 at 6:30 p.m.

Now for adults!

A three month reading program with a mystery theme is underway.  “Get a Clue @ Your Library” provides adults with many fun activities.  Sign up at the card table by the front desk and pick up a packet of information which includes guidelines for a Bingo game, Trivia game, Marvin the Moose search, and reading log.  You can do one or all of the activities.  If you find Marvin, answer trivia questions, or complete rows of Bingo, you may enter for prizes to be drawn each week.

The program will end on Friday, March 27 with an interactive mystery night at 7 p.m.  Prizes will be awarded for those who read the most books – keep that reading log up to date!   Sign up for the party at the front desk.

The next Adult Programming Series for 2008-09 will be “Sample Yoga”

 Saturday, Feb. 21 from 2-3:30 p.m. in the library community room.  Sandi Hoover, RN, BSN of “The Family Tree” in Des Moines will give us a beginner’s look at Yoga.  Wear comfortable clothing.  Free will donations will be accepted.  Please sign up for this program in the program notebook at the front desk.

Want to shed those extra pounds and inches before Summer?  Why not join Paula and Lynne three mornings a week for a walking exercise program at 9 a.m.  The class is free.  Pick up a complete schedule at the front desk.

Two book clubs are available for your reading pleasure. 

The Brown Bag Book Club will meet at noon on Monday, Feb. 23 with the book selection TBA.  Bring a sack lunch to enjoy while discussing this month’s book selection.

The Evening Book Club will meet on Thursday, Feb. 26 at 7 p.m. to discuss this year’s All Iowa Reads selection “The Rope Walk” by Carrie Brown.

Copies of the books are available at the front desk.  New members are always welcome.

Interested in scrapbooking?  Plan to join hard core scrapbookers for a fun evening on Friday, Feb. 6 at 6 p.m.  Bring a snack to share.

Library patrons are reminded that all library materials except movies are due back in two weeks.  Each book and audio material are stamped with the due date.  Movies are due back in two days.  All materials are renewable one time by either calling the library or bringing in the item to be renewed.  An outside drop is available on the south side of the building (alley).  Please return library materials on time so that others may check them out and enjoy them as well.

The library will be closed on Monday, Feb. 16 for President’s Day.

Christmas is rapidly approaching and the Adel Public Library is again offering a service that can make your holiday preparations a little easier.  Friends of the Library and staff will wrap your Christmas gifts during the week of December 15.  Bring in your gifts anytime from Monday, Dec. 15 through Friday, Dec. 19 and for a donation they will be wrapped – gift card included.  Proceeds will go to the Friends of the Library to help with programming.

Our “Christmas Elves” are always happy to help!

The final Garage Sale of the year will be held on Friday, Dec. 5 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Saturday, 10 a.m. until noon in the unfinished room on the second story of the library.  Since our first Garage Sale in May, the library has raised nearly $5,000, our original goal, for new shelving in the children’s area.  Many thanks to all who have helped with this project – volunteers, those who have donated items, and our shoppers.  We couldn’t have done it without you.  Besides raising money for shelving, part of the proceeds will be used to purchase new DVD’s.

Do you have DVD’s you no longer watch?  The library will be happy to receive DVD donations to add to our collection.  Duplicate copies will be saved for the Used Book Sale in August.

The Evening Book Club will meet in the library community room on Thursday, Dec. 4 at 7 p.m. to discuss “A Child’s Christmas in Wales” by Dylan Thomas.  The movie will also be shown.  Copies of the book are available at the front desk.  Bring a Christmas treat to share.

Pre-School Story Hour and Toddler Time will be held during the first two weeks of December and then will pick up again on Jan. 12 and 13, 2009.  Library Babies Lapsit will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 10.

Scrapbooking Club will be held on Friday, Dec. 5 at 6 p.m.  Bring a treat to share.  New scrapbooking enthusiasts are always welcome.

There will be a Holiday Party for school age children after school on Tuesday, Dec. 9  with stories, games and treats.  An after school Christmas craft session for teens will be held on Wednesday, Dec. 10.

Join Lynne and Paula for walking exercise three times a week at 9 a.m. in the library community room.  The sessions are free.  Pick up a schedule for the month at the front desk.

The library will be closed on Dec. 24 and 25 and will close at 4 p.m. on Dec. 31.  Otherwise, regular hours are Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Saturday, 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., and Sunday, 1-4 p.m.